JAMMU: Chants of “Jai Shri Ram” reverberated across Jammu city on Tuesday as people celebrated Dussehra with traditional gaiety and religious fervour, burning large effigies of demon king Ravan, his brother Kumbhakarn and son Meghnad to mark the triumph of good over evil.
National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah and Jammu and Kashmir BJP president and MP Sat Sharma attended the main Vijayadashami function at Parade Ground in Jammu, where a grand Ramleela depicting the victory of Lord Ram over Ravan was staged before the burning of the effigies.
The presence of Dr Abdullah showed his secular credentials and everlasting traits of “Sanatan” civilization in former Chief Minister of erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir State.
Speaking at the function, Abdullah recalled the episode of Lord Ram’s return after defeating Ravan and said the demon king’s downfall was a reminder of the consequences of ego and arrogance.
“I am reminded of the time when Bhagwan Ram returned home. Mother asked him, ‘You killed Ravan?’ Ram replied, ‘Mother, I did not kill Ravan. He was killed by ego and anger.”
Asserting that anger and ego consume even godly people, he said, “Ravan was well-versed in all four Vedas. He was a great scholar and also a great devotee of Lord Shiva. But pride and ego entered him, and he believed that he had become invincible. He had to be removed from this world.”
He appealed to people to promote love, mutual respect and family values, and urged parents to impart religious and moral education to their children.
“If we truly want to become good human beings, we must understand our religion. Religion shows us the right path,” he said, adding that children should be taught English, mathematics and other subjects while also being introduced to their religious and cultural traditions.
Abdullah expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir would prosper and move forward, saying people should support one another to achieve progress.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president and MP Sat Sharma extended Dussehra greetings to the people of Jammu, saying the festival symbolises the victory of truth over falsehood and good over evil.
Addressing the gathering, Sharma said the message of Dussehra remains relevant today, as evils persist both within individuals and in society. He appealed to people to unite and resolve to eradicate these evils by following the ideals represented by Lord Ram.
Dussehra celebrations were held at dozens of locations across Jammu city and other parts of the region, including Doda, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Ramban, Reasi, Katra, Poonch, Rajouri, Samba, Udhampur and Kathua, with large public gatherings and the burning of Ravan effigies.
Vijayadashami was celebrated with enthusiasm in Kishtwar, where BJP MLA Shagun Parihar attended the festivities. Effigies of Ravan, Meghnad and Kumbhakarn were burnt as part of the celebrations.
Several organisations, including the Shri Amar Kshatriya Rajput Sabha, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, organised traditional Shastra Pujan ceremonies to mark Vijayadashami.
The Shri Amar Kshatriya Rajput Sabha organised a traditional Shastra Pujan at Raj Tilak Bhawan in Purani Mandi, Jammu. The ceremony began with a Havan Yajna, followed by the ritual worship of weapons.
Bajrang Dal activists also took out an armed rally through Jammu city, which concluded peacefully. In Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri and Kathua, RSS took out road marches amid tight security.
In Kishtwar, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) organised a Shastra Puja followed by a rally through the main market.
